Florida State of Mind

It's a no-brainer that Billy Joel has an obvious appeal to the geriatric crowd. After all, here's a guy who has penned his fair share of ballads, with songs such as "New York State of Mind" and "Piano Man" providing fodder for many a lounge crooner's repertoire. But anyone who...

By Lee Zimmerman

February 8, 2007

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It's a no-brainer that Billy Joel has an obvious appeal to the geriatric crowd. After all, here's a guy who has penned his fair share of ballads, with songs such as "New York State of Mind" and "Piano Man" providing fodder for many a lounge crooner's repertoire. But anyone who has seen him in concert — especially last year's two-night stint at Broward's BankAtlantic Center, knows that this sometime-South Florida resident is equally prone to rawk. This shouldn't be surprising considering that Joel got started with '60s rock outfit the Hassels and eventually created the psychedelic heavy-metal duo Attila. So don't even try to pigeonhole this 40-year industry veteran, because his trick bag runs deep. And given his ample catalog — boasting nearly three dozen Top Ten hits — he has plenty of harder-hitting material to tap into — "It's Still Rock and Roll to Me," "Big Shot," and "You May Be Right" chief among them. By the way, this is the second chance to catch him locally this month; among other distinctions, he just became the only artist asked to sing the national anthem a second time at the Super Bowl. Talk about a big shot!

Billy Joel performs Monday, February 12, at American Airlines Arena, 601 Biscayne Blvd., Miami. Show starts at 8 p.m. Tickets cost $51.50 and $87. Call Ticketmaster at 954-523-3309 or 561-966-3309.

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